MOTD COMMENTATOR’S NOTES

Jonathan Pearce: “So much will depend on what sort of team injury-ravaged United can field, especially with the Europa League semi-final second leg against Celta Vigo in mind.

“Ten of Jose Mourinho’s squad will have missed a month of the campaign before its end. I can’t think of another manager who could have rotated as well while keeping the club competitive for so long on four fronts.

“But this could be too tough a task. Arsenal simply have to win to keep alive Champions League hopes. Arsene Wenger surely has to get a first ever league win against Mourinho.

“Alexis Sanchez must improve on his record of just one goal in nine league games against the fives sides currently above Arsenal. But will United thwart them again?”

WHAT THE MANAGERS SAY

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger: “The problem before [the north London derby] was that the clarity was if we won all our games, we had a good chance of being in the top four. Now, even winning the games doesn’t guarantee us that. It’s not in our hands. That’s all we have to achieve.

“More than focusing on the fact it is Manchester United, a big club and a big rivalry over the years, what is important is to have the chance to achieve our target. We have no choice, we have to beat them.”

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho on which players he will rest against Arsenal: “The players that are in accumulation, the players that are with lots of minutes because we played nine matches in April and this one, so 10 matches in four-and-a-half weeks.

“The players that are in accumulation, they are not going to play at the weekend.”

LAWRO’S PREDICTION

I thought Arsenal had a bit of momentum until last weekend’s north London derby, when defeat showed their problems have not really gone away.

Arsenal will be up for this game, but it will not be easy because Manchester United’s injury list looks shorter right now. I don’t think there will be much in it.